It’s official!  The TOM FORD flagship store in Chicago’s Gold Cost neighborhood opens today, August 23rd. The luxury fashion boutique is located at 66 East Oak Street in the old Esquire Theater building.  Check out the details below and let me know if you visit – I’d love to hear what you think about it!

August 23, 2013 – Tom Ford announces the opening of the Chicago flagship store today, the fourth directly operated TOM FORD flagship in the United States after New York, Las Vegas and Beverly Hills. Located on Oak Street, Chicago’s most prestigious shopping district, the TOM FORD flagship occupies 4,700 square feet over two floors in the luxury retail center formerly home to the Esquire Theater.

Says Tom Ford, “There was no question that my next location for a flagship would be Chicago. It is a city of impeccable style and taste. Our goal with this store is to address an extremely discerning luxury customer who demands the highest quality product and service.”

The exterior of the Oak Street store reflects the local design vernacular with Renaissance Grey limestone on the façade and Blue de savoie marble visible on the floors and around the display windows and entry. Painted grey metalwork and a custom designed Makassar Ebony wood door handle define the store’s entrance.

Visitors walk into a spacious salon with soaring 15-foot ceilings, mirrored columns, light grey walls and the signature TOM FORD patterned marble floor. The salon, home to TOM FORD Accessories, Cosmetics, Fragrances and Eyewear, features a dramatic focal point with a raised mannequin display. Polished chrome and glass vitrines with grey mist mirror and grey ultrasuede cases contain the collection’s Accessories for women and men. TOM FORD Eyewear is presented alongside them on bold, stone plinths. The TOM FORD BEAUTY Cosmetics Collection is housed in a mirrored area surrounded by columns of Newport White marble and fragrances are presented on a grand, marble-top table. Custom made lamps of limestone give the area a private-home feel.

Visitors then enter the TOM FORD Womenswear salon, which creates a mood of feminine elegance with light-grey walls, silk carpeting and glossy, grey lacquer wardrobes with ebony back panels. Clients are invited to relax in a sitting area with silver-grey silk sofas, grey marble drum side tables and a silk area rug. Silver-blue wool drapery in the fitting room completes the mood.

The TOM FORD Menswear salon uses a palette of dark grey with touches of antique bronze trims and ebony accents. Sofas are upholstered in dark brown velvet, and sofa back tables of Moonlight Black marble and blackened steel are topped with custom-made, Quinet-inspired table lamps with bronze tripod legs. A richly colored beaver area rug and grey flannel drapery add to the salon’s feel of a masculine private club. The salon features two fireplaces: one clad in grey mist mirror and the other in Kenya Black marble, along with a Calder mobile sculpture that hangs above the seating area.

The second floor is home to a luxurious VIP Salon. Walls are covered in ivory ultrasuede and floors are covered in brown carpeting. Clients may also enjoy the salon’s private bar. The centerpiece of the VIP Salon is a curved, polished chrome fireplace with a black marble hearth and a rock crystal display inside. The sumptuous sitting area includes marble-top tables and an inviting white sofa with a soft beaver rug. The mood of rich comfort extends to the brown velvet drapery in the fitting room. Clients visiting the VIP Salon also discover an exquisite powder room
made of marble and glass.

Press release courtesy of TOM FORD

Rendering by Booth Hansen

Let’s take a look at Lavender Lust.

This eye color quad was first released in Spring 2013 as an Asian exclusive along with another quad named Seductive Rose. I believe Seductive Rose was likely the more popular of the two but I really really wanted to check out Lavender Lust for myself. This wasn’t an easy task — it involved begging a friend who lives in Singapore, arranging to have some funds transferred, and stalking the post office and my mailman daily for about 2 weeks straight.

Turns out that was all completely unnecessary as Lavender Lust is joining the permanent collection this Fall as a replacement for Violet Dusk. Who knew?!? (Note: Seductive Rose is joining the permanent collection as a replacement for Crushed Amethyst).

Before we dive into the shadows, can we take a moment to admire the case, please?

TOM FORD Beauty packaging is — by far — my favorite cosmetic packaging. The eye color quads don’t come in some cheap plastic case. They come in the same beautiful high-gloss black/maroon packaging as the rest of the collection.  Each quad is encased in a brown velvet sleeve which doubles as a cloth you can use to help remove fingerprints from the outside of the case.

The detail is beautiful… all the way from the TOM FORD emblazoned on the side of the quad…

… to the large mirror on the inside…

…. to the shape of the quad itself…

But we aren’t here to admire the packaging, right?

We are here to examine the shadows!

So let the drooling commence.

Remember the crazy, super-pigmented purple shadows that were popular during the 1980s?

Yeah.

This isn’t like that.

Lavender Lust is a very subtle quad… it is beautifully pigmented but it is delicate.

It is sensuous. It is opulent.

All four shades compliment one another and work together to create a very soft cool-toned smokey eye with just a touch of sparkle. 

The color edit is:

• Top left:  sheer, very light pink sparkle with a hint of silver
• Top right: pale plum with a touch of dove gray (soft satin finish)
• Bottom left: sheer light lavender with a hint of gray (soft satin finish)
• Bottom right: deep aubergine with micro shimmer (soft satin finish)

Lavender Lust Comparison

These close-ups should give you a better idea of what the colors look like and offer a comparison in direct sun vs. natural light:

Left: direct sun/Right: natural light

I mentioned above that Lavender Lust is replacing Violet Dusk in the permanent collection. They definitely aren’t dupes of one another, but I own both and can see why this decision was made.

Lavender Lust is a softer quad and the color edit is more sophisticated. I think it is also more wearable.

Lavender Lust vs. Violet Dusk

For an in-depth look at Violet Dusk you can read this post, but here is a comparison of the two shades:

Left: Lavender Lust/Right: Violet Dusk

There are definite differences in the color edit, the most noticeable being the bottom left shade followed by the top right.

• Top left: both are glittery, but Lavender Lust is a more pigmented pink
• Top right:  Violet Dusk is a lighter and more pink while Lavender Lust is somewhere between pale plum and dove gray
• Bottom left: Violet Dusk is purple while Lavender Lust is a sheer lavender
• Bottom right:  very similar colors in both. Violet Dusk is perhaps a bit brighter and warmer but they are virtually identical on me.

Swatches:

Top: Lavender Lust (bottom left, bottom right, top right, top left)/Bottom: Violet Dusk  (bottom left, bottom right, top right, top left)

I still haven’t mastered the art of eyeshadow self-portraits so I apologize in advance for the quality, but here are a couple of close-ups of me wearing Lavender Lust so you can see what it looks like with blue eyes. I have the sheer lavender color on as a base and the pale plum as a contour color. The light pink sparkle is applied on the inner corner and center of the eyelid. I lined my upper lashes with the Eye Defining Pencil in Bruise and ran the dark aubergine shade over it and finished the look with the Brow Sculptor in Taupe and Extreme Mascara in Raven. I wish you could see more of the definition in the look but this is the best I can do for now when it comes to selfies!

The shadows wear beautifully and are very long-lasting (they last through a work day and into the evening hours, no problem). The 0nly issue you run into is there is some fallout from the sparkle/glitter shade but that is to be expected.

I definitely love Lavender Lust though I am a fan of Violet Dusk as well.  This one is just a bit more… elegant.

Do you own either quad? Which do you prefer?

TOM FORD BEAUTY Eye Color Quads ($78)

• Violet Dusk  (Buy It Before It Is Gone: Bergdorf Goodman / Neiman Marcus / Saks Fifth Avenue)
• Lavender Lust (Buy Now: Neiman Marcus / Bergdorf Goodman/ Saks Fifth Avenue)
•  Saks Fifth Avenue Tip: select the pre-order color from the drop down menu if you don’t see it automatically.

Image Credit: All images taken by me

Before we dive into the complete and utter gorgeousness that is the TOM FORD Fall/Winter 2013 Accessory Collection let’s address the elephant in the room.

There has been a lot of buzz lately about the crocodile version of the TOM FORD Jennifer bag (named after Jennifer Aniston). During a recent trip to Switzerland, Oprah had shown some interest in the bag while visiting an upscale Zurich boutique and it turned into a bit of a race-related controversy (concerning the store clerk, nothing to do with Tom Ford or Jennifer Aniston!). I won’t go into details on this blog  but if interested, you can read about it here. Thankfully, the controversy has died down but I noticed a lot of people are finding this site when they search for “TOM FORD Jennifer crocodile”.

Well, I wasn’t in Switzerland hanging out with Oprah so I don’t know for certain which specific bag she looked at but my guess is it looked something like this:

The bag above, which is part of the Fall/Winter 2013 accessories collection, is the crocodile skin version of the Jennifer bag. I don’t know if this particular version is priced at $38,000 (35,000 Swiss francs) but I would imagine it is pretty close. I actually prefer the plain old leather version (which is much more affordable!)  but that is just me.

This is only one of the new bags in the latest collection. There are a variety of new Natalia’s, Alix Leather Padlock & Zip Shoulder Bags, Petra totes, Nina hobos, Jennifer bags (including a few crossbody styles) and more.

I am loving the new Beaded Ring Clutches. Genius!

Check them out below and let me know which ones catch your eye in the comments below!

Images courtesy of TOM FORD and Neiman Marcus

I know that many people (myself included) have been anxiously awaiting news about the TOM FORD Beauty Fall 2013 Beauty Collection. I am happy to report that I can finally offer you a sneak peek at some of the images and products that will be available in September (tip: a few are available for pre-order now on Saks).

The Fall Campaign stars models Zuzanna Bijoch and Herieth Paul and was photographed by Daniele Duella and Iango Henzi.

Here is what we know:

The Fall 2013 color collection focuses on the art of the seductive eye.  According to the brand description: “the heart of the collection is the limited-edition ombré eye color trio of monochromatic shades that uses light and depth to create a dynamic contrast. An innovative, dual-ended liquid liner enhances the look, adding sophisticated and provocative definition.” 

I know that sounds exciting, but before we get to the NEW products, let’s talk about the ones that are being discontinued.

DISCONTINUED?!

First, let me preface this by saying that my source at TOM FORD Beauty confirmed the below quads and lipstick are going to be discontinued this fall and replaced with new and improved offerings:

TOM FORD BEAUTY Eye Color Quads ($78)

• Violet Dusk (review here) / Buy Now: Bergdorf Goodman / Neiman Marcus / Saks Fifth Avenue
  
• Crushed Amethyst  / Buy Now: Bergdorf Goodman / Neiman Marcus / Saks Fifth Avenue
  
• Cobalt Rush  / Buy Now: Bergdorf Goodman /Neiman Marcus / Saks Fifth Avenue
  
• Burnished Amber / Buy Now: Saks Fifth Avenue
  

Also being discontinued:

TOM FORD BEAUTY Private Blend Lip Color ($49)

• Black Orchid (review here) / Buy Now: Bergdorf Goodman / Neiman Marcus /Saks Fifth Avenue
  

Now, onto a happier topic…

THE FALL 2013 COLLECTION

TOM FORD BEAUTY Ombré Eye Color Trio Palette ($60): Two new ombré eye color trio palettes masterfully shade and contour the eyes with an extraordinary play of contrast and light.

• The She Wolf trio comes in three smoldering, tone-on-tone gray shades: Deep Black/Brown, Light Charcoal, and Silver Lead. ( Buy Now: Neiman Marcus / Bergdorf Goodman)

• The In the Pink trio comes in three sensual pink shades and textures for a contoured nude look: Pink Rose, Pink Champagne, and Ballet Slipper Pink. (Buy Now: Neiman Marcus / Bergdorf Goodman)

TOM FORD BEAUTY Eye Color Quads ($78):  Cobalt Rush, Violet Dusk, Burnished Amber and Crushed Amethyst are being replaced by four new quads. Two of these are completely new releases and two were formally Asian exclusives that are being released worldwide as part of the Fall launch.  All except Ice Queen are available for pre-order on Saks right now.

• Orchid Haze: a sophisticated interpretation of classically charming shades of pinks and plums. An arrangement of satine and matte finishes bring delicate smokiness to the eyes that can transform from soft and subtle to dark and mysterious.  (Buy Now: Neiman Marcus / Bergdorf Goodman / Saks Fifth Avenue)
• Seductive Rose: an arrangement of soft satine and sheer sparkle finishes. Stunning shades range from pale pink, rose, lilac and rich plum. Eyes are instantly transformed with these flirty yet seductive shades. (Buy Now: Neiman Marcus / Bergdorf Goodman/ Saks Fifth Avenue)
• Lavender Lust: an arrangement of soft satine and sheer sparkle finishes. Dazzling shades range from light lavender, pale plum, to deep aubergine. These subtle shades deliver a delicate yet sensuous look. Read the review here. (Buy Now: Neiman Marcus / Bergdorf Goodman/ Saks Fifth Avenue)
• Ice Queen (Sneak peek here. Pre-order here): a quartet of subtle blues and icy grays that deliver a modern take on a classic statement-making color. Curated for maximum effect, this combination of transforming, yet accessible colors glide on in sleek formulas ranging from a frosty white sheen to a stunning silvered blue metallic to a daring slate blue matte.
• Saks Fifth Avenue Tip: select the pre-order colors from the drop down menu if you don’t see them automatically.

TOM FORD BEAUTY Eye Defining Pen in Deeper ($55): The Tom Ford Eye Defining Pencil Pen features a fine calligraphy tip on one end and a pro brush on the other for the ultimate in precision lining. (Buy Now: Neiman Marcus / Bergdorf Goodman)

The deep carbon black liquid liner delivers a spectrum of effects from sleek lines to dramatic wing tips or a full doe eye.

TOM FORD BEAUTY Ultra Length Mascara in Ultra Raven ($42): heightens the eye impact with carbon-black color and extra-long extension. (Buy Now: Neiman Marcus / Bergdorf Goodman)

TOM FORD BEAUTY Eye Primer Duo  ($50): The Tom Ford Eye Primer is a unique duo of powder and cream formulas that work with the shadows to deliver fifteen-hour, color-rich staying power. The stackable package holds a cream base formula containing the exclusive infusion complex, and a translucent pressed powder that ensures your eye color will stay fresh all day. (Buy Now: Neiman Marcus / Bergdorf Goodman)

TOM FORD Lip Color ($49): Four Tom Ford Lip Colors offer a choice of sensuous neutrals or decadent bolds. Rare and exotic ingredients including soja seed extract, Brazilian murumuru butter and chamomilla flower oil create an ultra-creamy texture with an incredibly smooth application. Specially treated color pigments are blended to deliver pure color with just the right balance of luminosity for a polished finish. These are repromotes – all are already a part of the permanent collection.

• Vanilla Suede (beige) / Buy Now: Neiman Marcus / Bergdorf Goodman/ Nordstrom / Saks Fifth Avenue

• Sable Smoke (rosy beige) / Buy Now: Bergdorf Goodman / Neiman Marcus / Nordstrom / Saks Fifth Avenue
• Crimson Noir (red) / Buy Now: Bergdorf Goodman / Neiman Marcus / Nordstrom / Saks Fifth Avenue

• Bruised Plum (plum) / Buy Now: Neiman Marcus / Bergdorf Goodman/ Nordstrom / Saks Fifth Avenue

TOM FORD BEAUTY Nail Lacquer ($32)

• Show Me the Pink (pink/nude)  /Buy Now: Neiman Marcus/ Bergdorf Goodman/ Saks Fifth Avenue)

• Black Sugar (plum) Buy Now: Neiman Marcus/ Bergdorf Goodman/ Saks Fifth Avenue
  

Final Thoughts

So what do you think?  Anything calling your name?

Are you going to stock up on any of the to-be-discontinued (maybe) products?

Images and info via: Tom Ford Beauty

Lensed by Tom Ford in London, the Autumn/Winter 2013-2014 TOM FORD women’s ad campaign features models Soo Joo, Zuzanna Bijoch, Gemma Refoufi and Herieth Paul.  Juan Betancourt, Oli Tyler and Conrad Bromfied star in the men’s campaign.  The stark white background provides the perfect setting for the Lichtenstein-inspired sequined “pop” gowns, technicolor fur coats, mixed animal prints and amazing accessories that define the collection.

The new campaign broke on the TOM FORD website and official Facebook page and will run internationally in August books.

Check out the non-logo images here and the full ad campaign in the gallery below.

Images courtesy of TOM FORD

Among the highlights of the TOM FORD Beauty Spring 2012 Beauty Collection was the release of two bronzing powders. I purchased one of the bronzers as soon as they became available but never seemed to find the time to do a review.  Since then, the bronzers have become a permanent part of the TOM FORD Beauty Color Collection. I recently purchased a back-up of Gold Dust and decided this would be the perfect time to finally get around to that review.

First, let me start by saying that the TOM FORD Beauty Bronzing Powder ($90.00) is the largest single item of makeup that I have ever owned.  This compact is absolutely massive and holds 21 grams of product. TOM FORD Cheek Colors, in contrast, hold 8 grams of powder. Even with daily use, you would still have a difficult time getting through the whole pan in a year (I still haven’t done so).

Bronzing Powder (giant) vs. Cheek Color (hobbit)

Seriously, folks, this is one absolutely massive compact.

It also happens to be one of the most striking and attractive things I own. When you pull this out of your handbag people do notice.

It comes housed in the same type of outer box and velvet pouch as other TOM FORD Beauty products. The compact itself is very flat and wide, with the same mahogany-almost-black shell with sleek gold accents and a large interior mirror.

TOM FORD BRONZING POWDER IN GOLD DUST

The bronzing powders in the collection are both created with an exclusively formulated rare mineral blend of sunstone, amber and black tourmaline crystals combined with unique pigments. Gold Dust is the “shimmer” shade while Terra is the “matte” offering.

“The TOM FORD Bronzing Powder has been created to achieve an unmistakably sexy glow… It captures and enhances the skin’s golden and bronze undertones, flawlessly highlighting your natural, sensuous radiance. When used in combination with color on the eyes, cheeks and lips, the Bronzing Powder can help to create one of Tom Ford’s favorite looks—the burnished, sun-goddess face” – TOM FORD Beauty

I ended up choosing Gold Dust over Terra because I think it’s better suited for light to medium skin tones. Terra is darker and more matte, which can sometime look “dirty” on my skin.

Gold Dust is a warm, golden bronze with a multidimensional microshimmer. It is a striking color and beautifully pigmented.

Gold Dust Up-Close

Gold Dust Macro Close-Up

The formula is silky and extremely lightweight. It feels lovely on the skin and blends beautifully. I prefer to use a fluffy brush so that it doesn’t streak or settle into pores (the fluffier the brush, the easier it is to buff out the bronzer!). This bronzer shouldn’t be applied with a heavy hand… when applied properly it will make your skin appear sun-kissed and glowing.

In terms of longevity, I regularly get between 8 and 10 hours of wear.

SWATCH

In terms of swatches, Gold Dust proved surprisingly difficult to photograph on my medium skin. In the image below, Gold Dust was applied and buffed out on the left, emulating the sun-kissed glow it provides. It’s a bit difficult to discern, but it is there. The right, in contrast, shows a heavier swatch.  You could almost get away with using this as a contour powder, but for that I prefer a matte bronzer.

Left: light swatch / Right: heavier application

What do you think of Gold Dust?

All images taken by me and subject to copyright

I have always loved cream eyeshadows.  When it comes to potted shadows, my go-to brands have always been Bobbi Brown and Benefit because of their amazing staying power. The colors are gorgeous and they do. not. budge.

I have to admit that when I first tried the TOM FORD Beauty Cream Color for Eyes in Spice last year I was apprehensive.  The composition of these shadows is so amazing that I was certain they would crease. They are very dense and creamy with a texture akin to whipped mousse. How could that possibly stay put on my eyelids?

Thankfully, they do more than just simply “stay put”.

This glorious texture results in shadows that are very malleable and can be blended with ease.  They don’t dry down on your eyelids and instead feel moisturizing with an almost cooling effect. The best part? They don’t crease.  At all. It’s actually kind of amazing. Needless to say, I was thrilled when I found out that the 2013 Summer Color Collection would include two new limited-edition shades.

“Warm your eyes with alluring, glistening metals that create a seductive, molten-toned look. Tom Ford’s highly reflective, ultra-pigmented Cream Color For Eyes combines advanced color technology with antioxidant ingredients to deliver pure, luminous color and an ultra-smooth finish that is non-creasing and long-wearing.”

PINK HAZE

First up is Pink Haze, a beautiful warm “pink with peach tones and gold pearl” shimmer. This is an absolutely breathtaking color. It looks more copper than pink in the pot, but once applied its true peach tones come out.

In terms of pigmentation and longevity, a little goes a long way. The TOM FORD Beauty Cream Color for Eyes pots are ultra-pigmented and long-wearing. You only need the tiniest amount for a great color payoff.

ESCAPADE

According to the official description, Escapade is a warm “pearlized peach.” It reads more gold than peach on my NC25 skin, but it does have a faint hint of peach that makes it extremely wearable. This is the more versatile of the two shadows. It can serve as a brightening base for other shadows or stand-alone as an all-over wash.

SWATCHES

Below are a few swatches of Escapade and Pink Haze in different lighting scenarios.  The pearlized finish gives each just the right amount of sophisticated shine without being too shimmery. Each color is buildable to your hearts desire, so blend away or layer to reach full opacity.

Escapade and Pink Haze (shade)

Escapade and Pink Haze (indirect sun)

Escapade and Pink Haze (full sun)

FINAL THOUGHTS

What do you think of Pink Haze and Escapade?  

 All images taken by me and subject to copyright